


Hold Onto Me, Never Let Me Go

by MyMoonIsBroken



Category: Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, I Couldn't Let Him Die, I'm Gonna Try to Keep Them in Character, My Beautiful Distrustful Babies, Slow To Update, Tamlen Lives, This Is My Fix It, Warden Tamlen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-15
Updated: 2016-11-15
Packaged: 2018-08-31 02:36:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,369
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8560054
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyMoonIsBroken/pseuds/MyMoonIsBroken
Summary: Tamlen's muscles strained but held the arrow in place, ready to protect Mahariel at a moment's notice. He loved her and even knowing that she could protect herself and take down any foe, he still felt the need to protect her. Like a guardian defending his Goddess.***AU where Tamlen lives and becomes a Grey Warden with Mahariel.





	

**Author's Note:**

> My Mahariel's name is Lynaia or "Lyn" to those close to her. I loved Tamlen and cried my eyes out when he died. I couldn't let him die. So, this was born. It is my take on what might have happened if Tamlen had not died. This chapter is pretty dialog heavy and most dialog is taken straight from the game. I did add in some of my own dialog though. Any and all mods I use in-game will be listed below.
> 
> This was made by a fan for other fans. No copyright is intended. Only fun, enjoyment, and happiness. BioWare owns all. 
> 
> Enjoy! (-‿-)

They were in the Brecilian Forest patrolling the outskirts of their camp, when Tamlen heard rustling ahead. Tamlen drew his bows, arrow knocked and ready to fly. Mahariel had went off a few feet away and hidden herself behind a cluster of trees, her bow drawn and ready as well. They waited for what they could only assume was a bear, based solely on the loud stomping, to come rushing through the trees. Tamlen's muscles strained but held the arrow in place, ready to protect Mahariel at a moment's notice. He loved her and even knowing that she could protect herself and take down any foe, he still felt the need to protect her. Like a guardian defending his Goddess.

The large mass then stumbled through the trees to reveal....not a bear, but a three shems. Sweating, panting, and terrified. They stopped in their tracks when they noticed the bows pointed at them. One almost stumbled face first into Tamlen's knocked arrow, then fell onto his backside.

"It's a Dalish!" The one that stumbled called out. This human had a light brown-ish colored hair and wore a blue shirt.

"And you three are somewhere you shouldn't be," Tamlen stated.

"Let us pass elf. You have no right to stop us!" the second human replied. This one's hair was a reddish color and wearing a green shirt.

"No? We will see about that, won't we?" As Tamlen said this, Mahariel came out of her hiding spot and stood beside him, bow aimed and ready.

"You're just in time. I found these...humans lurking in the bushes. Bandits, no doubt."

"We aren't bandits, I swear! Please don't hurt us!" The shem with the green shirt stated in almost panic. He and Mahariel started to slowly walk forward towards the humans until they were just a few feet in front of the shems, then skirted leftwards around their prey a bit.

"You shemlen are pathetic. It's hard to believe you ever drove us from our homeland."

"W-we've never done nothing to you Dalish! We didn't even know this forest was yours!" The third human finally spoke up. Tamlen felt a spark of anger ignite in his chest at the words.

"This forest isn't ours, fool. You've stumbled too close to our camp. You shems are like vermin-we can't trust you not to make mischief." Tamlen paused for a second then continued, speaking to Mahariel, "What do you think lethallan? What should we do with them?"

"Give them a warning. Killing them will only bring trouble."

"Letting them go might bring more of them. You are too soft."

"And killing them won't? Think Tamlen, do not let your anger cloud your mind. If we kill them, more than a few shemlen will come. A mob, maybe even a whole town. If we let them go, yes, a few more of them will come but it will not be an entire town," Lynaia said just low enough so that only Tamlen could hear. Lyn noticed the blue shirted human open his mouth to speak, so she said nothing more on the matter.

"L-look, we didn't come here to be trouble. We jut found a cave..."

"Yes, a cave! With ruins like I've never seen! We thought there might be, uh..." the green shirted shem said, but Tamlen interrupted before he could finish, his anger towards the humans returning.

"Treasure. So, your more akin to thieves than actual bandits."

"Ha! I'd like to see these ruins," Lyn said, part disbelief and part curiosity.

"So would I. I've never heard of ruins in these parts." Tamlen was curious as well. If there were ruins, they could learn so much from them. It could only benefit the clan.

"Neither have I. We know these forests. There are caves, but no ruins. You lie." Lyn hissed, adjusting her grip on her bow.

"I...I have proof! Here...we found this just inside the entrance," the green shirted human replied, stepping forward slowly and handing what he had found to Tamlen. Once it was in Tamlen's hands, the human retreated, standing next to his friends.

"This stone has carvings..." Tamlen's expression of irritation and anger was morphed into one of surprise as he said, "Is this elvish? Written elvish?" Mahariel was surprised as well. The information, the history the clan could learn just from this one stone. If they brought back more...oh, the things they could learn. She looked to her left at Tamlen's face and Lyn could see that he too was just as exited as she was about this discovery.

"There's more in the ruins! We didn't get very far in, though..." Green shirt said.

"Why not?" Lyn asked. She was reluctant to believe these shemlen. It sounded like a cleverly disguised lie, if she were being completely honest. She was a very distrustful person, it was just in her nature. She tried to curb this, but most times she was unsuccessful. The only person Lyn completely trusted was Tamlen. She loved him, with his bright smiles and eyes that danced with amusement. But she was getting off track. Lyn refocused on the humans. Just in time, too.

"There was a demon! It was huge, with black eyes! Thank the maker we were able to outrun it," one of the humans answered. Tamlen did not believe him, and scoffed.

"A demon? Where is this cave?" Tamlen asked the humans with disbelief and a hint of disdain in his voice.

"Just off to the west, I think. There's a cave in the rock face, and a huge hole just inside." The same human that spoke of the demon, said. Tamlen considered all that was said so far. He was reluctant to believe these humans, almost as much as he knew Mahariel was. He didn't trust these humans, he didn't trust any humans. He knew Lyn didn't either, but he trusted her judgment more than his own right now. He decided to ask her what she thought.

"Well? What do you think?

"Honestly? This sounds like a trap and we shouldn't believe it.

"A trap? We didn't even know you elves were here! We-we were just trying to find the treasure!" Green shirt stated incredulously. This human has, so far, spoken the most and seemed to be the leader of his little group.

"And this is all you found? Why didn't you look for more?" Tamlen asked. He was becoming irritated again, Lyn could tell. He was keeping his face and voice neutral, though. He's learning, she thought to herself.

"Like we said, there was demon! We couldn't fight it, so we ran. This was all we managed to get."

"Do you trust them? Should we let them go?"

"Yes. Let them go. I think we've frightened them enough." Tamlen was reluctant to let the humans go, but he did as Mahariel bid. If she thought these humans would not come back, then he would trust her decision.

"Run along then, shems...and don't come back until we Dalish have moved on," Tamlen said with force as they both lowered their bows.

"Of course! Thank you! Thank you!" The green shirted human said in relief, and scrambled to catch up with his friends that had run off without him. Tamlen was relieved they were gone, but also upset that the clan had to move again so soon. They both sheathed their bows.

"Well, shall we see if there's any truth to their story? These carving have me curious." Tamlen said as he turned to Lyn, with a smile on his face and amusement dancing in his eyes. All traces of anger and irritation gone once he caught sight of Lyn. She couldn't help but smile back.

"Yes, sounds like a good idea. I'm curious as well. Anything we find, we can bring back to the keeper. She can't be too mad at us then." Tamlen laughed and agreed. Lyn was right. If they brought back more artifacts like the one they have currently, the most the keeper would do is scold them and maybe limit them to in-camp duties for awhile. They started walking, side by side, in the direction the shems said the cave was located.

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed, feel free to comment your thoughts. If you notice any mistakes, if I need more tags (either now or in future chapters), again, feel free to let me know. You can drop a comment here or send me a message on Tumblr (same name). 
> 
> [Here](https://1drv.ms/f/s!AipyZNunmMoEj1FKEzRGaOUz6EXt) is my Warden if you want a visual of her. 
> 
> Mods I use:  
> * Extra Dog Slot by Dheuster  
> * Bidelles Cosmetics by Bidelle  
> * Chargen Package by Rekicker  
> * CC Extra Tints and Tones By Jaylo  
> * CC Chargen Pineappletree Friendly File By Antonn  
> * More Hairstyles By kzelsama  
> * More Hairstyles - Compatibility Patches by kzelsama  
> * LOTC's Default Eye Texture By lastofthecouslands  
> * Sword of Mercy (with Rune Glow) By Rapture-X  
> * Weapons of Andraste (with Rune Glow) By Rapture-X
> 
> If I have any information regarding the mods or the respective authors wrong, feel free to let me know. You mod authors are great people. You do so much to make mods with nothing to gain in return. I just want to say, you guys are great and I thank you from the bottom of my heart.


End file.
